Lawsuits and lossesnot to mention ignominious membership in our Hall of Shamehave followed data breaches at major companies. Security crews are getting smarter, but so are the crooks; both exploits and the gangs that run them are getting more

The security stories and problems that sparked them came so thick and fast during 2005 that it was hard to keep track of the source of the threats, let alone how serious each was.

Our end-of-year rundown may help you keep track of the bad guys, the good strategies, the right tools and the security risks you should keep track of this year. Good luck.

Battling Bad Guys: Corporate Security Outlook Is Tough for 2006: Organized crime hit the Web in a big way during 2005 and will probably hit it even harder in 2006. Some high-profile crews were caught, but the rest are taking better aim at specific targets and finding new ways to attack. Defenders have some new tricks up their sleeves, but the battle this year promises to be more of a melee than a duel.

Despite Busts, Web Mobs Keep Growing: Law enforcement brought down the Shadowcrew and other "Web mobs" this yearbut new, more sophisticated ones keep popping up. Here's how your company can ward off the bad guys in cyberspace.

The 2005 Hall of Shame: These companiesled by CardSystemssuffered some of 2005's worst data security breaches. Learn from their examples, so you won't show up on next year's list.

Wireless Nets Keep Security Crews on Their Toes: Even if you've managed to harden your wireless network to lock out the script kiddie with the Pringles, your access points offer easy entry to anyone with a good antenna, a little expertise and a decent set of cracker tools.

Tools of the Job: Which Ones Are Worth the Money:

Symantec: Beyond Viruses: Symantec offers a slew of security-related products and services, but the company is still known largely for its anti-virus software.